Dreams of an Absolution [Nayru/Remus] [Arcadia]

[Nayru Al-Saiduq]

"Arcadia... huh?"

Perhaps not the most eloquent of expressions, but as she stood in the wake of the storm, feeling both alive and powerful - a survivor who had some to prove they existed - and at the same time a worthless piece of crap who was really just here to use people and try to learn more about why she was such a failure, Nayru found that her voice and her limbs alike had failed her on the cusp of the future.

-Because that was what she did, wasn't it? She ran. From her problems, from her friends, from her past, from her future. As though consequences were for other people. As though she, Nayru, the mighty dragon, the eternal fuckup, was somehow above all the mere dragons and humans and taguel that were blessed to share Elibe with big-H Her and not the other way around. Her time with Veigue, and then Remus, had gotten her talking all that good crap about atoning for the past and being a better person, but in the end, when it all came down to it, when everything boiled down to whether she started walking forwards or turned the f**k around?

She still wanted to turn around and just run for it.

It was pathetic, utterly and absolutely in its shameful cowardice, and yet she could not deny its truth. She wanted to, sure. Nayru would have loved to just take a mighty step forwards then and there and leave all those feelings behind. But she couldn't. And she knew, in her deepest of hearts, that even if she DID manage to move forward, it wouldn't be because she was strong now. That everything was alright. No, it would be because of the shame of turning around now with Remus in tow. It would be because her desperate desire to know the truth of her own origins had overcome her own fear, if only temporarily. It would be because she was here to use Erim once more, not to make up for what she had done. And that was the worst part of it. Nayru didn't know WHY she was like this or how to fix it. She was at best a lucid dreamer in a nightmare of her own construction.

But - she was here, anyways. Cast adrift on the sea of chance. Or fate, if you believed in that sort of thing. Nayru wasn't quite sure anymore. Whatever the case, she was here, propelled forward by forces greater than herself, and her vaunted 'free will' was responsible for very little of it. But it was there, if only to a small degree. Did it mean anything? She wasn't sure about that, either. But she couldn't run away this time. Too much was at stake. Too many people. And... too many promises. Even if Veigue was gone now, the oath she held with him still meant something. What she had talked to Remus about. Her realizations while talking with Elly, bless the little pink idiot's heart. Nayru certainly hoped that she had found happiness and fulfilment, whether as a pega-sis knight or helping her father at the tavern.

...Well, standing there wasn't going to make anything happen, was it? Not quite sure if she was finally snapping or taking a step forward or just overthinking things vastly too much, because that was something she NEVER did of course, Nayru grumbled something under her breath and took a step forward. One small step for a journey. A bit of a bigger step for her, maybe. Rotating her body a bit to address the human at her side. The priest. Remus. Her friend. Perhaps the reason she was here. In more ways than one. Smiling at him as though nothing was wrong. Not quite meeting his eyes. She wasn't the person he thought she was. But that very belief made her try.

"Well, let's get moving. Before you pass out from dehydration and I have to carry you the rest of the way." The smile might not quite reach all the way into her eyes, but some of it was there nonetheless. ...And she really didn't want to carry him there. Both for his dignity, and because coming home with an unconscious guy hanging over her shoulder would be really weird and honestly she already knew the kind of teasing she'd get from some of the old crew if they caught whiff of THAT.

[Remus]

By the time the veil of sand had thinned to the point where the treasure within the desert had become visible to him, the amulet's protective field had vanished and they were left beyond the natural disaster that acted as a perpetual barrier preventing entry into the fabled city. Remus instantly felt a slight "click" in his mind. As if he had to observe everything that he could. Every last detail. As if he had to remember it and commit it to his mind. In that single moment he felt an overwhelming stupor take him though. The realizations of what was before him hitting him not so gently as a "Oh hey!" moment, and more like a tidal wave knocking him onto his back and drowning him. Knowing just what his presence here likely meant. Given all Nayru had told him, which might not have been much but more than he imagined the average Elibian would ever know, only made him that much more away of the significance of that first sand filled step out of the storm. The Priest took a glance to Nayru as she was looking ahead. He could only imagine how she felt to be home! If he'd been home for that long, how would he have been? Besides dead, probably would've missed alot!

Though how much changed over that time for dragons? Remus felt a slight tug at his attention. The Staff he clutched seemed to...shiver. A series of whispers traversing the length of it that echoed within his mind as just that. Whispers. Unable to comprehend them, unable to actually process it. Were staves supposed to do that? Was it part of the desert's magics? Nayru did say the barrier warped peoples perceptions. Maybe the amulet wasn't able to prevent slight perceptive differences or stop a change in smaller aspects of ones perception. Who knew! He'd look into it when they weren't standing infront of the ancient dragon city hidden from time that commanded so much more of his attention. It was a moment he hoped would never leave him, honestly. When Nayru turned to smile at him. Remus instinctively flashed a wide smile at her as he chuckled. Suddenly, he didn't feel so tired. All that horrible sun. That heat and sand? It didn't feel so bad. At-least for the moment. The Priests hands clutched his staff tighter as he slipped the amulet away into a pouch so as not to lose it. Gazing to Nayru with a nod and a soft chuckle before stepping forward a bit and moving to ensure he'd be behind her and following when she moved.

"I can assure you, that this I should think is one instance where you won't have to carry me. Though I do think we are at a fairly consistent record in our travels of you having to at some point in time. Be it my own over exertions or imminent peril requiring your intervention. Heh. Goodness knows it's alot nicer then the times your not there and I have to worry about the imminent peril though!!"

[Nayru Al-Saiduq]

She couldn't do Remus's jokes justice with her mind spread wide across the spectrum of concern, fear, and doubt. Nayru still managed a weak smile and a chuckle at the blueberry priest but failed to respond particularly adequately in turn. Unsure what to focus on. Should she be keeping her mind on moving ahead - straight into the sins of her past? On Remus, running from them yet again? On the future she feared so much? Trudging forward, approaching their destination - now that they were past the sandstorm it was a straight shot across flat ground, with a halfass path - a reckoning drawing ever closer.

That reckoning turned out to be two men sitting at the gates of the legendary city. Some swarthy, dark-skinned one she didn't recognize, and... "...Mortismus," Nayru stated with the joy and excitement of a dying tree frog. The addressed man jolted up with a start, definitely NOT waking up from a nap, looking startled and askance at his counterpart before turning to meet the newcomers and-

"...God dammit I owe Torbs five gold."

Just like good ol' times, eh? She could already feel the bile returning! Though oddly enough Nayru found that she wasn't really angry, or... really that scared anymore, either, it was SO god damn familiar that for a moment she felt as though she was four hundred years younger and half as wise. Whether her mood was actually lifted or not was a question of some debate, but there was a fire in her eyes nonetheless as Nayru crossed her arms in the eternal Womanese language of 'you dun fucked up now, son' and walked closer to the distraught man. Just as pale as she remembered him, his features hewn harshly but still somewhat youthful - not quite as young as she remembered but still the same sharp edges everywhere. "I swear to f**k**g D'arvit if you and Torbjorn bet on whether I was dead AGAIN-"

She cut off, midway between pretending to be angry enough to need a moment to collect herself and actually annoyed that they were STILL f**k**g children, giving him the chance to answer. He did so with aplomb. Well. With something, anyways. "What? No, I would never do- I mean, Nayru, I'm insulted that you would assume that of your closest and most trusted friend- do I really look like the kind of guy who would do something like that?"

She looked over at the darker skinned man, who was making absolutely no effort to hide his enjoyment of the scene. He shrugged. "Yeah, he totally would." "Ricardo!" Mortismus's aggrieved tone held real pain - or he was good at faking it, anyways - as the dragon reacted in turn. "The f**k, man? Bro code?" The apparently-named Ricardo chortled, leaning back in his chair - neither of them ANYTHING close to what one might expect from the great guardians of the legendary hidden city. Nayru, unfortunately, knew better, mumbling something that sounded suspiciously like "bloody idiots" under her breath before turning back to Mortismus with a raised eyebrow.

Under the scorching gaze of the sun and a pissy woman, he wilted after a few heartbeats, raising one hand dismissively. "Yeah, like you never made a stupid bet in your life."

...He wasn't wrong, admittedly.

Noticing the laxening of her posture, he took it as victory, leaning forward in his chair with a grin. "Gaea be damned, though, you're still alive huh?" "Last time I checked anyway." "It's only been, what, three hundred fuckin' years, yea? Maybe cut a guy a little slack for wanting to stick it to Torbs. He only got worse after Sheila hit the hay with that Ferrus kid instead of him."

...

Her face fell as Nayru's faux outrage continued to slip away. "Yeah, Torbs was kind of an ass," she agreed grudgingly. She probably would've taken the damn bet if it was him missing, too. Can't really hold much of a moral high ground there. "So you two dumbasses are on guard duty today, huh?" "All this week, man. They're still looking for the fourth pig. I give it two days afore they realize we just skipped from 2 to 4 on the numbering!" Ah. She winced, her expression betraying some manner of solidarity - she had been there too. Uh. A few times. More than most. The most boring job in all of Arcadia was a great punishment for rowdy idiots, and she was no stranger to that.

Ricardo piped up after a few moments of silent commiseration, the three musketards all acutely aware of the bond they shared in that moment. "So who's the other guy? You leading the grand invasion or some crap?"

Mortismus burst into a fit of immature giggles as Nayru choked on her reaction, trying very hard not to laugh. If Remus didn't pipe up soon she'd explain it but for the time being she was trying not to choke to death.

[Remus]

Remus admittedly had stayed somewhat silent, and had stopped approaching when Nayru started talking. The conversation and the tones it took were enough to prompt a soft smile as she spoke to someone she clearly knew, and to him it meant she'd likely not seen them for quite some time. To this end he also quietly gazed upwards at the point of entry and took a moment to admire it. The traditionally blue clad priest shifted his weight onto Thyrus slightly and let his clutch on the staff retain just enough grip to keep it within his clutches as he drank in the sight of the gates to Arcadia. The laughter, and shifting tones slightly lost upon him until he chose to refocus after a few exchanges had transpired. Names he didn't understand and some banter between the two guard apparent. The priests perspective shifted to one of reflection however. Thought gazed back to the trials leading up to this point. The large monsters. Scorpions humans knew them as. Arachnos, Nayru had said they were. Terrible, he knew them as. Why in Elimine's name such things existed, he knew not. Then again, many terrible creatures existed in the world it seemed.

Then there was the clad of sand dwelling, ambush loving, dark skinned murder muscle men and their chieftain who had ruffled his feathers in many ways. Lapis hair clung to his pale complexion at this point with a red flush to his cheeks, and his neck from the excessive heat. The forearms entirely stained a soft red hue. Though kept in the shade as best he could they still had not taken well to the sudden exposure of light, given his normal attire. Why was the desert such a horrible place? Giant sand storms at that? Such a supremely unpleasant thing. His attention however was drawn when he heard them start speaking further of guard duty.

So who's the other guy?

That certainly drew his attention. At first, when gazes fell to him, the priest looked behind him as if expecting a third guest. A moment later he realized they spoke of him. The frail human among a trio of dragons. All of whom could've crushed him like an ant, likely in human form let alone dragon form. However, Remus was Remus after all. At this point the priest took a few steps forward, smiling sheepishly and clearly doing the only thing he was good at. Wearing his heart on his sleeve and being nice. With the priests staff shifting parallel to the ground from a slight pivot of his grip on it, the priest bowed respectfully towards the two males. His tone punctuated by a second laugh as he introduced himself.

"Ah! Yes. Hello. My name is Remus. It is a pleasure to meet you, or anyone or anything else so long as they not be more of those..er...Ara...Arach...what were they Nayru? OH! Arachnos! Yes. Terrible things. Supremely unplesant, and they have given me a much greater cause to appreciate civilized interaction that does not involve giant beams of death, aha! As to an invasion...I..believe there have been enough invasions involving Etrurians..this one would much sooner prefer to sit out! Though I can think of a certain little girl who might profess her presence in any place as a sign of invasion. Eh? Ahah."

The thought of Amelia boldly marching up to the two guards and proclaiming them soldiers within the "Amelian Empire" while Owain quietly stood beside her, as any valiant grand vizier would, prompting him to laugh at the final quip that most no one but save for him, Nayru and perhaps a small handful of others would get. He pivoted his head quizzically while gazing to the guards. At this point plying a question of his own.

"Do you have to worry about things like those large creatures attacking the city, or are they unable to bypass the sandstorm as well?"

[Nayru Al-Saiduq]

...Well, it was definitely a very... Remus greeting. She had to give him that. For the first time in a LONG time, it sort of clicked to Nayru that she was a touch embarassed in that people she knew were actually meeting each other for once - never her favorite pasttime - but as long as Remus didn't start talking about how great Kraft was at murdering dragons and as long as Mort didn't try to eat anyone this was going... less bad than it could have, anyways.

Good old Arcadia. Where humans and dragons came together to be idiots.

For better or for worse, the new guy, Ricardo, was not quite the flaming wreckage of a person that Mortismus was and somehow managed a feat no human or dragon in all of Arcadia had ever managed before: not being a complete f**k**g tool. "Oh. Well. Welcome to Arcadia, Remus. Sorry about... you know, Mort." "The f**k is THAT supposed to mean?" "Door's always open, let yourself in."

"...I think it's called a gate, not a door," Nayru returned with bemused sarcasm as the guy waved her off with a grin on his face as he more or less ignored her, looking back to Remus. "Dragons, right? Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. Specially Alicia, if you know what I mean," he finished with a wink at Mortismus, who shot up in his chair with a look of faux(?) outrage. "That's my SISTER!" "Yea, she got all the good genes you didn't, bro." "f**k yourself" "I got her for that tho?"

Nayru considered murdering both of the bickering buffoons and found that she struggled finding many reasons not to. She'd probably get a medal from the elders if she did, anyways. But the realization that guard duty was in fact a fate worse than death stayed her hand; nothing she could do could make them suffer more than that.

Apparently satisfied with enraging Mortismus into a frothing rage, or at least a coughing fit, Ricardo returned his attention to Remus, his words free of the biting jeer that had been leveled at the excessively pale dragon a moment before, grinning wide, his teeth bared to the sunlight. "Naw, we're pretty safe around these parts. Sandstorm keeps out everything bad. Cept the great Mortismus, anyway." "My power and majesty cow even the desert!" "Just ignore him, we all do. Never seen one of them big bugs myself but I learned about them in school. One of the many dangers of modern Elibe, I guess. Me, I'm good sitting my happy little ass the f**k down right here and staying where the worst I gots to worry about is this idiot, you feel me?"

Feeling... slightly supplanted as Remus's sole source of information and guidance in all the world and quite eager to get away from 'Mortismus' Nayru waved Remus towards the doors gates of the legendary city, shaking her head with a look that was sort of like a mix between a grin, a scowl, and a dying raccoon. "I think the sun has baked both of your damn brains. C'mon Remus. Nice meeting you Ricardo." The mentioned man waved over, looking pretty happy with himself. "Ayo. Hate to see you leave, but love to watch you go!"

Christ. "And..." she looked back at the humanform dragon, something great and terrible flickering across her expression. "Good to see you too... Morty."

"I WILL EAT YOUR ASS" followed a giggling Nayru into the hidden city as Ricardo jumped from his chair to restrain his counterpart, leaving the way clear for Remus to follow his makeshift guide through the "doors" to the future. Heh. Doors.

Within, the great city of Arcadia was... honestly, pretty much exactly what she remembered, which was to say that it was loud, obnoxious, smelled like all kinds of weird crap, and had transformed dragons walking around - one of them carrying three kids who were whooping and hollering fit to raise the dead and looking like he was considering eating them as he stomped morosely down the street, followed by two more nipping at his heels. Nayru had the sudden feeling that it was a lot more like a cow being pushed along by guard dogs than anything else, but knew FAR better than to say anything - dragons and pride - not a good combination.

Everywhere else around them was pretty much the same. There were people, human or dragon she didn't really know at first glance, wandering around, obviously on their way to one store or another, or coming back. Some carried food. Certainly there were peddlers selling old family recipes. Houses, forged of stone and sand. Some more obviously stylistically inclined than others, though for the most part it looked exactly the damn same as it had the last time she'd been here, lots of marble, straight lines and curves of solid stone. Little busier than she remembered, but she HAD seen some urban sprawl along the back, which spoke to how the town had outgrown its original boundaries several times over the years.

And there were others, clearly dragons in human form. Some with ears, or wings, or tails, sometimes alone, sometimes with each other, sometimes with humans. She watched one slap her partner's ass and laugh as the (probably?) human man grinned back at her, then as another man tried the same on his partner and got put in a headlock for his trouble.

Yyyyup. "Good old Arcadia." Land of horny teenagers and old people. She wasn't sure which was worse.

[Remus]

Oh. Well. Welcome to Arcadia, Remus.

The greeting alone prompted him to bow respectfully towards the darker skinned male once more as the priest kept his staff tight within pale grip. Though his clutch on it might've relaxed a bit as the tensions soften- oh no, they were yelling again, never mind. As the lewd jokes exchanged betwixt the two males who clearly knew each-other well enough for such statements, the priest's cheeks flushed slightly while he took about every ounce possible to ignore such implications. Speaking of females in such a way so casually was something he couldn't imagine an individual doing. At-least, he couldn't. Instead he closed his eyes, and leaned forwards slightly in another slight bow quietly as if to shake off the sentiment and bring his embarrassment to a quiet. Trying to compose himself further before smiling brightly a second later as he focused on words the male spoke before the lewdness began, of living with or without dragons. Again, chuckling and rubbing the back of his neck as he recalled quite literally every time his life had been saved by Nayru. Answering the prospectively age old question by the man who was clearly a human. It only now dawning on him that Nayru had said Arcadia was a place of dragons and humans both.

"Ahah..well..to be quite honest I do believe I wouldn't be able to live without dragons given that Nayru's saved me at-least five times now haha! If not more.."


Though the conversation did turn increasingly loud in volume as the two men spoke to one another, or that is to say, one spoke at the other at times before the other addressed the blue haired priest once more. To this Remus could merely bring out a laugh as he quietly began to realize that the first "non-Nayru" Dragon he was meeting was less than what he'd imagined. Then again he'd also expected them to look more....dragon-y. Perhaps he'd set his expectations too high? He was after all holding this moment to a standard built upon with nothing but pure speculation. Then again, the two seemed nice enough. At-least...one did. Perhaps with a bit too much eagerness he turned to Nayru's summons and bowed quietly to the loud dragon and sarcastic human. His stride quickening as they moved to the city. Alien sights, sounds, and scents assailing him almost the moment they passed the actual gate.

Remus had to actually stop for a moment. The sounds he heard were a cacophony and so many were sounds he'd just...never heard before. The priests jaw was slightly agap as he tried to just take in the entire sight. It was simply a unique experience. He shivered. Despite the heat. Despite the sun, he felt chills traverse the length of his spine and back thrice over and the hairs on his neck stand as he tried to process everything that was simply so new and beyond him. Seeing monsters for the first time was one thing. They were strange. However information circulated about them. One knew what to expect. Dragon's however. None had heard of a physical description in many lifetimes he'd imagined. Knowledge deemed irreverent and lost to time. Archives of history might've contained such information and maybe some artistic depictions but in general this was different. Vibrancy. Color. Sound. Even the scents he could detect were so varied and different that it caused a mixed sensation within him. There were large dragons. Small ones. Dragon's next to humans. Some were humans, yet not humans. They had wings or tails or scales. They were all interacting!

Some laughed alongside the other. Some even walked hand in hand(Or were those just a few humans?) He couldn't tell, and that alone! That uncertainty as to "Is that a human I see?" racing through his mind at almost every glance filled him with a certain elation he couldn't quite articulate. It also had his pulse quickening. He couldn't help but smile a moment later. Though the intimately affectionate gesture of one female assailing the rear of another caught him off guard , he had to remind himself that he wasn't in Etruria. He wasn't in a church. This was an atmosphere that likely accepted far more social norms and though it perplexed him and the gesture merely prompted an awkward cough to him, the freedom of everyone's reactions truly set the tone. The priest turned to smile at Nayru a bit brighter and then quietly bowed partially towards her as he had prior. Though a gesture done seldom for him, he did know it to be a sign of supreme respect or thanks or appreciation, often saved for individuals in a "higher" social standing back home. In this instance he did it and spoke words that could never convey the depth of their meaning as he lifted from the bow to smile brightly towards Nayru.

"Thank you for allowing me to come here with you. This is a moment I do not believe I will ever forget."

[Nayru Al-Saiduq]

Living without dragons, huh?

Morty gave her a f**k**g headache every time he opened his god damn mouth. She didn't even know where he's come up with that stupid f**k**g 'Mortismus' thing, it sounded like a 13 year old writing edgy poetry about how the wounds in his soul, they would not heal. Made it hard to concentrate on anything else when she mostly just wanted to punch him in the dick repeatedly, whether it be Remus's sweet little comment or the hustle and bustle of Arcadia. Maybe the sun had baked her brain, too.

"I wish I could," she responded off handedly to Remus's comment, kinda ruining the glorious moment, but hey it was honest so it couldn't be that bad, right? Wait. crap. Caressing her brow and considering sticking a hand through her head, Nayru turned more toward Remus as he bowed and realized she might have made a little light of his words unintentionally. This was less 'glorious discovery' and more 'god dammit why are people I don't like still here,' even if TECHNICALLY Mort had been a... friend... sort of... back in the day. Not a very good one. Neither of them had really done a very good job of that. But she had certainly spent enough time with him for them to be something more than mere acquaintances, I guess.

"Sorry." Was she? Why? Nayru wasn't really sure what the answer was to either of those. She did feel a little bad for Remus though, she wasn't much of a guide or a host but it would be rude to completely blow him off to say the least. "I think I was hoping to meet someone a little more... personable at the start. Got my hopes up. Don't know why, in retrospect. Dumb crap hasn't changed at all." Her words were far from tender and kind, but there wasn't quite the venom in the insult that one might expect. None at all in fact. She said 'dumb crap' more like it was a matter of fact or even a vaguely fond term. Not that she would have admitted it in a million years.

She also wouldn't admit that beelining to where they were headed was also a bit of a daunting prospect right now. More so being reminded so joltingly of the past. Not a BAD past, at least no worse than you could expect from a tool like Mort, but... man. It kinda drove it home. "...Really back here, huh?"

Nayru as silent for a few moments, soaking in the sights and sounds. 'Course they would have to show up at the busiest time of day. "It's... not usually quite this bad," she managed, as if trying to defend Arcadia to Remus. For why, no one knew. "Just uh, try not to get stepped on. And don't pull anyone's tail. Not even if they ask you to. ESPECIALLY if they ask you to. Some get really weird about that." Speaking from experience there. Bah. Nayru was no stranger to crowds or to Arcadia but she wasn't necessarily as great at navigating lovably clueless idjits through them, especially given the risk of getting stomped, and tried to think of alternatives. Sweeping the plaza. Thinking as old memories came to mind, shops and cafes. Hmmmm. Inspiration! "Hey. Remus, wanna hit up an old cafe I know? See if we can wait the rush out a bit there."

[Remus]

He couldn't help but chuckle at Nayru's remark. Pivoting his head and gazing at her curiously. Sorry? Why on earth would she be sorry? He lifted his left hand from the double palm vice-grip he perpetually kept on his staff to dismiss the notion, until she began to expound her sentiment. He supposed he could understand. Well. Could he? What must this have been like for her? Bringing a friend to meet those she'd grown up around? He...didn't know that feeling. How could he? He had seen home once since he'd first left for the church really. Though he'd written to them, he didn't know how any of the children at home were doing. How his parents or uncle were. How the small neighboring town's residence were. He imagined coming home would be as much of an adventure for him as introducing her to those he'd known. Wouldn't it? The priest quietly clasped Thyrus again, fingers lightly gliding along the soft pale wooden surface of the stave while he shook his head quietly. Still grinning a bit as he looked up to Nayru.

"We can't pick who we meet in all those lovely encounters of life, eh? Heh. I guess we just have to be grateful for the ones we do meet! "

Though he primarily referenced his literal chance encounter with her, he also realized that if he hadn't met those ruffians first, people most would've wanted to avoid, he never would've met Nayru. It'd taken quite a scene to get the wandering tree planting mistress's attention. Yet here they were. Now in a hidden secret city where Dragons and humans lived in peace and secrecy. It was strange where life could take you. Maybe he should get mugged more often? The Priest laughed quietly at Nayru's second passing comment while she went into avoiding getting stepped on. And to avoid pulling tails. At which his first sentiment was thankfulness that Amelia wasn't present. Heavens above and below only knew how likely they were to convince her not to pull the tail of literally every creature, dragon or otherwise in the city. Though part of him did feel a pang of regret that he couldn't bring the children there. If there was a way to ensure safe travel through the desert, he'd certainly like to. Yet when he looked at what his journey entailed, he wasn't sure it was a wise choice.

"Hey. Remus," was pretty much a gaurteed way for Nayru to draw his attention. So it did, as he shook himself of wistful sentiments and turned to look directly to the sable haired female. Nodding to her offer, he chuckled again and lifted his staff up somewhat with his arm cradling under the side as if to keep it close against his upper right shoulder to rest and enthusiastically leaned forwards.

"That, madam, sounds absolutely wonderful. Please do lead the way. I'd love to see such a place!"

[Nayru Al-Saiduq]

"Grateful..." The look squirming across Nayru's face shifted between confusion, disgust, disbelief, and horror, sometimes all of them at once, as she tried to digest the idea. "I think you meet nicer people than I do, Remus." She chuckled, then giggled, almost girlish for a moment before she caught her carefully constructed tough guy demeanor as it crumbled for a second. "Ah man. You have NO idea, buddy. But now we're not leaving here 'til you do!"

Still grinning, hopped up on a cocktail of stupidity and vicious joy at ruining people's dreams, Nayru mostly-but-not-entirely dragged her erstwhile companion across the street, ducking and weaving her way through the ebb and flow of the tide of man and dragon and everything in between. This was her home. She might hate everyone here, but dammit she'd spent a hundred and fifty consarned years learning to deal with all the weird crap here, what was one more?

Well. Easier said than done admittedly. Back when she'd left, she'd known almost everyone at the time, more or less. Recognized the patterns of flow. Old man Erebros always walked that lane at that time - people were creatures of habit, and Arcadia was a gigantic pattern of intersecting habits. She could dissect, memorize, understand it. Now there were many she didn't. It made things a little more... interesting. Almost cerebral. And, uh, dangerous, at times. There were a few times she had to back that ass up to avoid getting pancaked. Especially when one dragon, a big old greenish-yellow ugly f**k*r came tromping through like a hurricane, two kids hanging off of his wings, screaming like they were being murdered - eyes wide as saucers. At least they were having fun. It took a second to recognize mizz Kamishirasawa, but the look of exasperated affection was so god damn familiar Nayru almost cringed back expecting to get yelled at for the umpteenth time already.

Then the wizened old dragon was gone, the two air raid sirens attached to her fading into the distance with whoops that rang across half of Arcadia and would doubtless lead to noise complaints, and the moment was gone too.

But they were pretty much at their destination. It looked about as busy as she remembered it, maybe more so, and old Kal-El was outside. Good ol' Kal. Kaliban the nickname was. He was at least eight feet tall, maybe nine, it was hard to tell with how he always had his chin sunk into his chest to look down at the tiny people around him. Looked like a cross between a neanderthal and a bandit, too, the sort of scarred and rugged face, oversized brow, even the threatening posture that made him look like a heartless, soulless monster.

"Sup Kal!" was what came out as she bounced up to him, grinning like she was three years old all over again. Seeing the momentary look of confusion in the ancient dragon's eyes replaced by a look of recognition was all she needed for her smile to grow even wider. He grunted, a rumbling sound that she was pretty sure left seismic shudders running through Arcadia, and barely inclined his head to the door. His gaze lingering for just a second before returning to scanning the crowd.

She liked Kal. Spinning, pirouetting in place in a moment of glee Nayru motioned her blue haired counterpart in after her, dancing past the tremendously imposing drag with a quick pat on his forearm - about as high up as she could reach, honestly - and a rapidly slowing shove through the curtains as she remembered not to push too hard or they might rip and then she'd be up crap creek without a paddle. And also she needed to be sure that Remus hadn't gotten lost. "Yoo!" Waving at her companion. Above her, above Kal, three words etched in darkness stood against the bright whitish stone above the storefront - "Maid To Serve ♥" - the heart, lit with a glowing pinkish-reddish glow, flickered almost in tune with her call.

And then she was inside, the long-lived cafe's umbral-crimson glow a harsh contrast to the blinding whites and yellows of the outdoors. The scent of various flavors of smoke - tobacco and others more exotic in evidence. The understated scent of liquor. Definitely a strong smell of eggs. Relaxing music. Voices, near and far; male, female. Tired. Drunk. Coquettish. Visions in black and white gliding through her vision - ok now she was just waxing poetic. A smoky-skinned woman approached, ornate golden horns emerging from her brow and curling backward above her ears, three feet of a emerald scaley tail swishing back and forth behind her. Her voice soothingly sweet. Her maid outfit, ah, adjusted to accentuate her... exceptional bust. Nayru had to choke down a bit of bile at the comparison.

...Yeah this place hadn't changed at all.

"Welcome to Maid to Serve, hun, table for two?" "Yeah." "Right this way, sugar."

[Remus]

Remus couldn't help but laugh. He tilted his head with a widening grin and gestured to her with a hand lightly patting her (good)shoulder as if to console her while he shook his head in self bemusement. The Lapis haired priest flashing a wider grin a moment later as he followed behind his companion. His tone light and filled with mirth as he drank in the surroundings and atmosphere like a happy little blue sponge. "Well Nayru, I happen to know that I have because I met you, where as you met me. Given the circumstances I should find myself the luckier of the two. Heh." He lowered his palm from her shoulder a moment later. His gaze shifted as he still tried to take in the sights of everyone he'd walked by. He knew he didn't quite have Nayru's memory so he was trying to actively mentally note and log everything he could. Every sight. Every sound. Every smell. Though he didn't exactly go around smelling everyone, instead trying to just keep it all in mind. Though as Nayru's enthusiasm picked up he couldn't help but drink it in as well.

It was wonderful to see her spirits at such a state. He knew Nayru was a troubled soul. Even if she hadn't confided in him like before, he would've been able to tell. It almost(but not quite) brought him to tears to see his close friend in such a apex of joy. He didn't mind when she tugged at him to wind and weave with expertise through the crowded mass of man and dragon. Remus was almost grateful she was to be fair, given his distracted state. Ducking at times under tails of strangely shaped transformed dragons or hopping over low hanging ones(She had a longer stride than him it felt like) and stumbling a bit while still craning his head like an owl disturbed every moment it had nearly reached the sweet bliss of slumber, and twice as shocked. Then there was the small dragons. Dragon children and human children. A teeming and thriving population. So at this point when Nayru had to tug Remus along a bit more so to avoid getting flattened(in his perspective) or stop him from moving along so he wouldn't get trampled equally so, he began to realize just how bustling the place was.

It became pretty evident that they'd approached their destination when they started to slow and Nayru was no longer tugging him around. At which point he assumed they'd be at the cafe she was talking about, or a place to get to it. So when she greeted the rather...large...man...dragon..that Nayru so excitedly approached, he assumed they were near for certain. OR taking a detour. What caught him off guard was the sudden closure of Nayru's stride. The bounce, the tone, the gesturing. Even then, he was hard-pressed to acknowledge the large loudly grumbling man he'd never seen over the laughing, pirouetting Nayru that he knew well enough yet had never seen as such. So far THAT had been the most bizarre thing he'd seen since entering the gates. At this point Remus followed after her though as she gestured to him, following quietly as they looked up at the stone sign above. He tilted his head, a bit perplexed by it. "Maid" to serve? Did they spell it differently here or-oh....

He slipped into the building and immediately felt a chill wash over him. Just the darker environment was enough to give the overly exposed priest awareness that he was still effectively covered in wrappings along his arms at this point and the thin tunic and pants having been designed for only obscuring the sun and allowing as much heat to leave as possible; to an extend that he was now wishing he had his robes back. He felt legitimately naked without them which made him that much more aware. He clutched his staff a bit tighter and kept it close with both hands and looked around. It was a bit intimidating to him even if the strange smells made him think of a friendlier version of a tavern. The smokey air gave it a strange texture and the priest would've been far more nervous if it wasn't for the near radiating waves of delight emitting from Nayru's very palpable excitement. Remus paused. Closing his eyes and trying to calm himself. Inhaling that foreign series of scents and filling his lungs with air before exhaling quietly. Trying to suppress his climbing pulse and simply smiling quietly again as he picked up his stride to follow Nayru.

He didn't have to go far it seemed. As she stopped, a woman approached them. Remus's gaze instantly shifted to the golden horns upon her brow. He'd noticed that the dragons here did not hide their more draconic sides in human form opposed to Nayru who, for obvious reasons, looked entirely human most times he'd been around her. It was strange. She was human enough to be easy for him to comprehend, but foreign enough to perplex him. At first that was all he saw from behind Nayru until he approached and saw the rest of her. Instantly he had to inhale sharply. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but that had not been it. He wasn't even able to tell why he would've expected anything at all but the pure shock definitely had him feeling like prior mentioned owl. The sharp inhale had been an instinctive reaction as he tried very hard to simply look up after the initial view of the female that moved to greet them. The woman spoke to Nayru, and thankfully not to him so he was able to simply close his eyes, and bow quietly while the repeated mantra ran through his mind. Don't look now, don't look now, don't look now, don't look now. The entire duration of his bow downwards, and upwards. His cheeks had already flushed slightly when he opened his eyes with a pointed effort to ensure they were gazing upwards and ahead. At this point he was hugging his staff just a bit tighter to his chest and right shoulder, and it was at that moment he felt like he was forgetting something. What was it? What could he have been forgetting to-OH RIGHT. Breath Remus! He sputtered a bit and inhaled. Panting two or three times softly from an unintentionally drawn out breath. Following after Nayru a moment later feeling all the more foolish.

[Nayru Al-Saiduq]

Unfortunately Nayru did not have eyes in the back of her head to follow Remus's vision - well - maybe fortunately for him, since he'd quite literally never have heard the end of it. More focused on her generally less than stellar memories of the slightly drawling maid. Though even she wasn't daft enough to notice that Remus seemed surprised or confused by something as they wended their way past the tables and booths of the cafe, settling about two-thirds of the way back, along the eastern wall. Huh. He had an oddly glazed look in his eyes. Like he had seen something inordinately large and incredible. The kind of view that would be etched into memory for a lifetime.

"Yeah, they're pretty huge," she stated blithely as the first maid responded to a customer gesturing from halfway across the cafe, nearly smacking someone with her tail, apologizing quickly, and hurrying off. "Kal's muscles are seriously something," she continued with the innocence of a babe, but she was grinning nonetheless. "He's a big ol' teddy bear though. Well. Long as you don't piss off the girls. Or the boss. Wouldn't hurt a fly and he doesn't hit ladies. You know," she said ominously, leaning forward over the candle burning there - she remembered all too well the focus on 'setting' and 'evocation' this damn place was supposed to have. "Some say he fought in the war - the Scouring I mean. He was unbeatable. Like a walking mountain. Even faced off against St. Elimine herself. No one knows for sure. He denies it. I think he has a crush, though. He gets mad when I bring it up so I'm pretty sure I'm on to something."

"Alright, what can I get for you two little cuti-"

The voice, saccharine in its sultry, honeyed tones, stopped in sudden silence as the speaker paused, and Nayru's head threatened to rip itself off the neck as she jerked to look at - oh god f**k**g DAMMIT of all the f**k**g - if it wouldn't have made trouble for Kal she probably would have slugged the two bit skank upside the head until HER head popped off too. None too blind to the reaction, the new arrival's face twisted from surprise into amusement as her eyes lit up with dark deeds.

The new arrival, yet another enmaided young lady, cut an imposing sight looming over the table like a final boss - fairly tall with a pair of curved, blackened horns that rose upward to further accentuate her height, it was the burning golden eyes that truly drew one in and consumed them forever, the vertically slitted pupils burning an almost eerie gold in the reddish gloom of the establishment. Behind her, two great leathery wings partially unfolded, their dark crimson hue making them indistinct in the shadows of the cafe but also seeming to extend forever as though they would encircle the booth entirely.

Also, the chest of her outfit had been mostly cut away to expose the lingerie beneath. Not a lot of fabric. A lot to cover.

"...Evelyn," Nayru grumbled at their new visitor, the kind of seismic disturbance that heralded a coming earthquake. The other dragon didn't seem particularly perturbed, continuing on in that honeyed tone that drove corkscrews into your head and seemed to bounce around, leaving only mush behind. "Nayru. You're back. Thought I smelled something familiar." "Just your eau de toilette. You know you're not supposed to use the whole bottle, right?" HAH. Nailed it.

The maid hesitated for a moment, almost - ALMOST - looking actually hurt. Bit her lip. Nayru was quite sure that she wasn't capable of that emotion of course. Or if she was, she was just faking it, trying to manipulate her. There was a momentary thought of a time where they might have greeted each other differently, but it was lost to eternity in the next moment. A chance that passed as quickly as it had arisen, the busty maid looking very much as though she wanted to say something, but turning on her heel and walking away instead, almost bowling over another of the staff as she disappeared into the gloom.

"Ah, to be young again." The cracked voice seemed to come from everywhere, but there was only a frail, ancient woman standing there, beside Remus's end of the booth. Where there had most assuredly been no one the moment before. Or the moment before that. Much of her ancient frame shrouded in nondescript robes, less mysterious than simply underwhelming aesthetically. Certainly no eternal beauty to be found here; while her face still held some of the regal grace it might once have, her thin albeit long grey hair and eternally amused air did little to make her young.

"M-miss Myra!" Nayru cursed silently at how she had stumbled over her words, long forgotten discipline kicking in for a moment, but the elderly lady simply smiled in that maddening way that suggested she had noticed and found... something... quite amusing. "By the stars, it has been a long few years, hasn't it dear?" Holy crap. This time it was Nayru's turn to bite her own lip for a moment as she tried to think of a response. The conversation moved on without her. "Don't look so surprised to see me, dearie. It's only been a few centuries. Ah, but it has been a while, even for you dragon types, hasn't it? When was it I last saw you...?"

Ohhhh no. nononononononono. "Haha, I, uh, look at the time we were JUST leavi-" "Ah... yes, you were just walking out in a huff, weren't you?" F U C K "Really, Nayru. No two weeks notice? Poor Eve had to work twice as many shifts that week to make up for it." "...Sorry." "You should thank her, you know." "..."

There was a moment of silence as the woman's smile dimmed, something flickering in her eyes. A mix of things. She didn't seem surprised that Nayru had looked away rather than answering. If anything it was as though she had expected it. But rather than push it she turned to the blue-hued priest instead, looking at him with an innocent smile of unguarded joy at making a new acquaintance. "Ah, and you must be one of Nayru's friends, aren't you? I don't believe I've seen you around here before young man. Where in Elibe do you hail from?"

------

Evelyn

[Remus]

Now. Remus wasn't someone to assume lightly. He longed believed that being clear in one's point was the best way to converse. So he was very perplexed and almost coughed again in a sudden fit of embarrassment that he choked back when Nayru started to speak about the largeness of an unknown something, drawing emphasis to his thoughts prior before he had to quietly and mentally expunge his thoughts with a single and drawn out exhale through his nose. Instead trying to take in details that didn't cause him to question many teachings of his faith, though if viewed through the eyes of his upbringing he'd walked into a literal den of sin. There was a small part of him, in the back of his mind, that squirmed. Another part that found it extremely fascinating. Another part all together that, had Nayru not been there, would've opted him to shy away until he'd found the exit. A cacophony of intermixing emotions he'd not had experience with. It seemed that the revelations of the journey here was merely the beginning of a continuous trend. When the priest found his seat across from Nayru he'd tried to adjust his staff somewhat. It was still between his arms but his hands had relinquished it so he could rest them upon the table, folded quietly in a way that had developed from a lifetime of "manners". Thyrus simply rest nestled against his left shoulder.

The priest tilted his head quizzically as Nayru started to speak about this "Kal."Now, he knew Nayru loved her jokes. It was dangerous for him that he couldn't tell if she was joking or being dead serious and simply excited to share information of direct relevance to him through a mutual point of Elimine. Though it did rouse a sudden thought. There was potentially someone in this city, for better or worse, that had met Elimine. He tilted his head, staring directly at Nayru as he tried to gauge how well he could take that statement seriously. Though he'd seldom question her, the ridiculous nature of it was almost too much for him to comprehend. Then again, he'd made it this far, why should she be wrong otherwise? Though he did try to maintain a lighthearted tone as he commented on the final aspect of her revelations concerning the guardian at the entrance. "To be fair I have a fair feeling there are many who have such affections for her, back home that have never met her. I imagine anything is possible at this point."

Though he paused. A more serious line of thought almost escaping his lips. He kept it to himself though instead. That very real sentiment that there were probably a few here who had fought in the scouring. Quite a few in fact, he could imagine. Remus might've said more, but another voice drew his attention. Another sputter of shock caused him to slightly jolt within his seat purely as his peripherals caught glimpse of the woman. The priests left arm shifted the rather ornate staff to his right side, leaning forward a bit and opting to very fixedly examine the table for a moment as the large wing like designs of Thyrus's top expanse blocked the majority of their exposed server from sight while he tried to compose himself, and more importantly, brace himself. The priests eyes closing as he tried to better center himself again, before Nayru blurted out the females name. Her tone caught him off guard almost as much as the woman's apparel, or lack there of. His gaze shifting with unparalleled restraint as he tried to keep every last ounce of focus upwards to the newly arrived Evelyn. If she hadn't looked so different from even the strange and bizarre dragons they'd met thus far, it might've been harder. However he could, for a time, safely direct his gaze from her to Nayru as the two exchanged words with one another. The sultry tones of the other female rolled through his mind as if he was being enveloped in a satin veil, but his concern for the way Nayru spoke to her was effective at warding that off and commanding his attention.

The shift in her mood alone was a bracing moment. The Priest looked around no longer, for now, hiding behind his staff. He wasn't sure what eau de toilette was, but he would have to ask later. At this point he was just perplexed by what exactly had happened and what he might've been able to do to help the situation effectively? The blue haired priest opened his mouth to speak but the other girl had instantly turned on her heel, and a voice rang out as if from the literal void from right behind him, nearly scaring the priest to death as he yelped quietly in shock. His nerves and pulse both soundly dialed to 11 for a moment before he turned to look to the newer arrival yet. Nayru's reaction yet again drawing his attention as their interactions exposed glimpses of Nayru he'd simply never seen before. The priest quietly looking back and forth before blinking. So. Nayru had worked here? It was so strange to him. It was only then he realized. He'd never worked something like a profession or a job. Most of his childhood had been spent helping take care of orphans his parents took in, and after that being raised by the church when he'd joined the faith. Then their own orphanage and then the present events.

He felt bad though at the way the woman seemed to speak so accusingly towards Nayru. It almost prompted him to interject. As if he had to defend her. Until the woman directed both gaze, and speech to the blue haired priest himself. Remus had to pivot slightly as he gazed upwards at the older woman. Ahhh, friendship. A topic he could feel better about! To her assessment of his friendship with Nayru, the priest laughed quietly and rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish smile widening to a happy one as he perked up a bit. "Ahah..well...I'd certainly like to think I'm one of her friends! Ah.
I would suspect no one has seen me around here before. Both because I am not from around here and er..because I didn't know places like this um...existed. I'm from ah, Etruria and I don't think they have anything like this there. It's nice to meet you though! Though everything's so large and confusing to me, and new, I'm glad Nayru brought me along. "

To this end he turned and smiled at Nayru for a moment. His gratitude nearly endless at this point. On what he'd seen alone in the first few moments he knew he could easily house more knowledge than most individuals back home ever would've in regards to dragons. If not more than any library back home, besides the no doubt super huge hidden ones. The Priest did not make any attempt to hide a tint of concern in his expression though as he looked from the woman to Nayru again. Again mentally noting her shift in tone so heavily. He was quite a confused blueberry.

[Nayru Al-Saiduq]

"Etruria, was it?" The elderly woman's voice betrayed a certain level of interest, though Nayru could never tell if Myra was ACTUALLY interested in everything or just pretended to be when preparing to guilt trip someone. The woman chuckled dryly. "Better than Ilia I suppose, but I suspect our climate has been quite an unpleasant surprise for you nonetheless! You are rather a lucky young man to have such an... experienced... guide, mm? You should ask her to show you the archives later. The little dear spent enough time in there I imagine she has half the writing in there memorized."

Looking at Remus. Talking to both of them. Nayru felt more than a little uncomfortable in her seat, a sensation only amplified when the wizened woman turned to gaze at her directly. "My, Nayru. You'll have to tell me all about these travels of yours. This old lady is far too decrepit to travel Elibe like you youngsters do, but you carry yourself so differently than when I last saw you." Not a line of questioning Nayru was... stellarly excited to get into, as much for the time it would take as her eternal reticence, but she did owe her old boss quite a bit. And they were still here for drinks. She settled for a neutral "Yeah, well, time does that to people" that came out a bit more sullen than anything.

She wasn't sure she believed it was just time, though. She had been wandering Elibe for a few centuries, but only recently had change come for her. Myra's expression didn't particularly seem like the kind that agreed heavily either. It was more of the 'you sweet stupid child' look that she wore like her own skin that always made Nayru feel like a dumbass kid again. The wizened old woman continued blithely onward as if she hadn't heard Nayru's underwhelming excuses at all, returning her attention to Remus with mischief in her eyes... so exactly the same as usual but with slightly more of a sense of impending doom. "Well then, Remus, what do you think of Arcadia? It's a bit loud at times, if you ask this old lady. But I do prefer that over the silence of the tomb. Not that I'd know the difference with my hearing being what it is."

Nayru's brow furrowed as she tried to remember when she had introduced Remus by name, or if she had at all, and taking advantage of the dragon's momentary distraction the ancient bar owner leaned in towards Remus's ear with a perfectly innocent smile. "I can introduce you to Evelyn later if you like. She was quite taken with you. Something about you looking good enough to eat I believe?"

[Remus]

Remus felt a bit more at ease when the conversation was something he could relate to. Especially in the aspect of something he'd experienced. Remembering the shiverings of Amelia and Owain especially, that cart ride through Ilia hadn't been easy for them. He grew a bit pensive as he pondered quietly the precise feelings, and instinctively shivered as he recalled just how fiercely those winds bit at the skin. A small series of goosebumps crawled along his slightly reddened forearms as the priest looked to the older woman with a sheepish smile. His hand clapping to the back of his neck as he rubbed it quietly. "Ah..well I can say that Ilia did not agree with me too well. Though I'm er..not..too well suited for this heat either. If it weren't for Nayru I don't think I'd have made it through the heat alone. Though..I suppose alot of my adventure tales now begin with "If not for Nayru" then insert horrible thing haha!!" His head tilted though as he looked to Nayru, eyes widening a bit then back to the older woman. She'd hit the "Knowledge" button. The idea of Archives of Arcadia. The sheer literature they no doubt offered!! His excitement was downright palpable before he widened his smile towards the older female.

"Ahah..I imagine if er..I was introduced to such a place I may very well lose myself! I can only imagine the history and culture and knowledge that's been stored over time! Information no other part of Elibe has! Just the idea of it..it..it..makes me shiver!! In a good way!" There was a bit of a contrast now. Remus was far more enthusiastic now, than he had been in his prior moments where he was nearly squirming in embarrassment and an almost shy innocence. All abnormal thoughts instantly brushed aside as he felt the inner scholar crash through mental walls like a flood. He beamed a bit now as he looked between his closest friend and the older woman."I don't know what Nayru was like when she left, but I can say that I don't think I've met anyone braver honestly! That's even when comparing her to some of Elibe's famous figures! I've seen um..Kenshin and Richter themselves in battle even! Though they might've yelled about as much as her. Well er..Richter yelled lots. Kenshin just..quietly stared a-lot! Actually..a lot of the leaders shouted. They didn't make craters when they were planting tree's though ahah!"

He flashed a grin to Nayru, unable to help himself when thinking back to their initial encounter. Slanderous it was! Him joking about another being harmed. She was no doubt corrupting his innocence. Though he could only imagine what young Amelia would grow up like with such varied figures in her life. He'd imagine the same for Owain but he just couldn't see Owain changing much. Beyond maybe..talking more. Remus quietly pondered the elder woman's question for a second. Thinking back to his experiences thus far, and then flashed a smile towards Myra. "Well Ma'am..if I'm honest I think it's the single most unique place I've ever seen. I didn't know what to expect, honestly. Not sure I would've had a way to. However with so much War and tension in Elibe. So many places where there is distrust. Oppression. Fanaticism. Hawkish Militarism. It gives me such joy to see at-least one place where young can grow up, and be happy and safe. Where generations can live and grow without knowing what it is to starve, be subjected to the horrors of war and strife and deception and greed in such wanton abandon. That's my first impression at-least. Then again I'm sure there are other places like that in Elibe at..er..times."

He was so lost in thought, that he hadn't realized in that moment that the woman had addressed him directly by name. At-least at first. A second later when he did, he opened his mouth to speak and then stopped. Paused. Closed his mouth. How did one address that? "Oh. Yes. Remus. That is my Name."? He would've asked, but at that moment the woman whispered to him such an offer. The priest almost instantly sputtered, as he attempted to shift in an uncomfortable squirm. His knee banging at the table abruptly which prompted a yelp before he shook his head quietly and tried to politely decline. Stammering as a beet red flush stained his visage. That didn't account for the quite throbbing ache on his knee now or the fact that his pulse was racing a thousand miles a second from embarrassment. "Ah er n-n-no! Th-that's okay. I er. I don't think I want to be er- eaten. I ah..she seemed nice but er..I..don't think we'd have much in common. I er..you see." Now if there was ever a point in time in which he'd wished for one of those random streaks of "Sudden Gargoyle attack" or "Oh look, Hargus is invading" he was fairly sure it'd be easier for him to handle then what currently had him feeling like a small animal pinned down and attempting to get away. How swiftly this place had him shifting his tones.

[Nayru Al-Saiduq]

Myra nodded and smiled at Remus's words, listening along with rapt intention and welcoming encouragement as the young priest spoke of adventures past and distant lands. "Well, Nayru does have a talent for getting into trouble," she commented blithely, seemingly unaware of the implications of her 'compliment' and uninterested in learning them. Continuing onward with gently reckless abandon. "Yes, that Kenshin fellow did seem rather intense, didn't he? Everyone communicates in their own ways I suppose. We all wear masks, but there is good in everyone. Kal only communicates in grunts and grumbles, but a few hundred years ago some daft little girl went and bothered the scary big dragon, and dragged him back into society. Even the blind chicken sometimes finds the corn, as they say!"

"...Hey! Who's a chicken?" Rejoining the conversation a little belatedly, Nayru spoke before her brain caught up and she purpled slightly when the rest of Myra's recent commentary finally registered. Looking quite like she might have something to say about 'daft,' Myra's gaze swept to her kindly as the elderly woman softly queried if "there was something you would like to say, dear?" "I-" After a few moments of silence, Nayru swallowed her pride and broke the shared gaze in defeat. "I was just thinking Remus might want to try the tea is all."

"Ah, a wonderful idea!" The harmless old lady stood back up fully, clapping her hands in delight at the thought, and another waiter appeared from the gloom almost instantly, carrying a few cups of... something. Myra took the tray, shooed him off, and sat down on the end of the table on a chair that had definitely not been there a few moments earlier with a knowing smile. "Yes, I imagine after your travels the two of you must be absolutely parched! This is your first time in Arcadia, isn't it young man? Now." Her old hands moving quickly, she slid each teacup to its rightful owner, holding up three seemingly desiccated leaves like a pack of cards in her left hand. "No one actually knows where this herb was first found, but it's been a delicacy for a few thousand years now. It's called- ah... what was it? The name seems to have slipped my mind. Nayru, be a dear and-" "Witch's Blossom," the dragon provided sullenly, "-Yes, that. It's not actually witch flavored, don't worry." She nodded with a wicked grin to Remus and left him to think what flavor that might be.

"Now, on its own, it looks like a simple leaf. But! When mixed with a certain concoction of fluids and... proprietary spices," and with a flick of her wrist one of the leaves went spiraling lazily downward into her own cup, followed almost instantly by a hissing sound as the water began to bubble, "A reaction begins! The fluid becomes carbonated as it sucks the taste and the, ah, venom from the... leaf, rendering it quite safe to drink and a refreshment that is chilled immediately, as if by magic! Not in the least addictive, of course, but a flavor so unique that it alone could keep this cafe alive! ...It's really too bad they went extinct in the rest of Elibe during the Scouring."

As she continued on into her response to the priest's commentary on Arcadia, seemingly completely unnoticing of his refusal of his former offer, Nayru grabbed one of the leaves - on her third attempt, anyways, Myra smiling all the more kindly and harmlessly with each failed grab - and took refuge in her own cup while Myra and Remus chattered along incessantly.

------

About half an hour later and enough stories, some of which sounded suspiciously as though they were told from memory despite predating the Scouring, the cafe had lulled in activity and the world outside sounded a little less packed as well, leading a somewhat less sullen but even less talkative Nayru to shepherd them both out of the establishment and back onto the streets of Arcadia, past any number of strange and wondrous sights. The great tower at the town's core Shops selling strange foods and live animals not glimpsed in Elibe in centuries A basilisk having a lively argument with an especially ornery cat about who got to sit in the owner's lap. More than a few dragons, and at least one domestic spat as a severely enraged woman helplessly wailed on the chest of a man a time and a half her size and looking quite cowed, as they wended their way through the commercial center of downtown and into a more residential area, passing through it as well as the housing began to thin out.

The rear of Arcadia was not particularly well planned out or walled in as the forefront of the city had been, and far quieter to boot. Hardly a soul to be seen as they traversed the sprawling area. Stopping in time at its outskirts, one of the furthest out buildings. A fairly average looking house, certainly no king's palace or giant dragon nest, though there were a few of the latter that had been passed recently. Though she had passed them without a glance, now standing before the unassuming hovel it took most of Nayru's concentration not to turn and run as if it was a gateway to the Burning Hells themselves. If demons were real, at least they might be punchable. But...

"...Fighting... I can do. Punching solves a lot of problems, running solves most of the rest. But there's... something a little intimidating about someone you can't hurt." Nayru half smiled at Remus, looking more tired than anything. She wasn't even sure what she was saying, much less why she was telling him any of this. Trying to look like less of a coward for being too scared to even knock at a door? Explain her fears with the vaguest possible wording? Just putting off the inevitable? Maybe she really had spent so many years running that this - thing, this cowardly child who after more than three hundred years still hadn't grown up enough to be able to say 'sorry' to the people she had wronged in Arcadia, not even 'I love you' to the one she had hurt the most, was the real her. All she would ever be. Just a big dumb hunk of muscle, born into power most humans would kill for but lacking the judgement and courage of even the Scouring Heroes. Maybe she could spend another five centuries disappointing everyone who was dumb enough to care for her, and leave them behind to die like she had for Veigue, for Elly, for all the other humans that had lived and died in the blink of an eye.

Like Remus would, in another sixty years or so, if he was lucky enough to survive the fall of Etruria.

The dragon bit her lip, feeling a lot less like some mighty thunder goddess and a lot more like the dumb fuckin' kid who had walked out in a temper tantrum a dozen lifetimes ago, leaving behind everything good in her life out of a misplaced sense of revenge. Left behind her closest friends, the few she hadn't driven away yet anyways, some of them hurt so bad that even now they remembered it - and she had just done it all again in the cafe. Maybe she hadn't changed at all. All the training she had done. Learning to control and focus her power, and more importantly her mind, so she didn't just turn into a oversized mad dog the second she lost control. The problems she had tried to help Veigue with. Saving Elly from her own derp. Trying to push her view of humanity onto Aerious, who had lived twice as long as her and probably knew five times as much. Arguing with Richter, Kenshin, Clair; pushing all of them out of her life rather than really trying to understand them.

Maybe Richter had been right. That no matter what she did, how she acted, humanity would never accept her as one of them, or even a tolerable evil, no matter how many monsters she killed for them. Nayru had known that all along, even if she had clung to the idea that maybe they would at least view her as 'one of the good ones' among that race of subhuman monsters the Eight Heroes had done such a great job of disposing of.

But-

She glanced at Remus again, very shortly, and looked back at the door. She had stood by Veigue. Risked her life for him, attacked him while berserk, and even after finding out what she was, he had still stood by her. Knowing full well who, what, she was. Elly had somehow figured out her age and thought it was 'cool' rather than horrifying. Remus had seen her weakness, though thankfully not the deepest depths of her sins, and here he was standing at her side nonetheless. Too busy fanboying over this magical place called Arcadia to have a problem with the interracial couples he'd seen on the way in... and knowing her luck, probably smitten with that brazen hussy flaunting her chest around. She'd be surprised if he DIDN'T turn up tomorrow morning, shellstruck, hanging off of Evelyn like a fish out of water.

...Ok yeah that wasn't really what she wanted to be thinking about at such an important time. The moment completely ruined and dragged out back to be beaten to death, Nayru's shoulders sagged with grim purpose - or maybe it was just giving in and not thinking anymore - as she rapped her knuckles hard against the door, knocking at the familiar wood once again for the first time in many years. Muffled sound from within. The moment of truth fast approaching. She found it oddly comforting that at this point she couldn't run anymore, there simply wouldn't be enough time to get out of sight and smell. Almost took the devouring fear out of the whole thing! Almost, anyways.

The last barrier crumbling, the final excuses extinguished, as the door opened and ashen skin shrouded in tenebrous shadow came into view. The teasing smile evaporating in shock, almost horror, from the face that had seen countless ages, countless eras; one that looked almost as young as Nayru but whose eyes bore the weight of so many thousands of years that they all blended together. Features that could have been carved from stone, now frozen as stiff as their seeming origin.

...And the f**k**g kimono still looked like it was about to fall off at any moment.

She might have laughed at the ridiculousness of it if Nayru had been capable of singling out the emotion, but amidst the tsunami of sensation she couldn't recognize what any single one of them were anymore. Positive and negative all blurred into one great tide that washed over her and forced her under the waves, a crushing force that not even she could lift. The words came out unbidden, without even the least bit of thought or foresight to their meaning or implication. They simply - were. As was the moment, and in it the two of them were all that existed.

"Erim... I'm home."